The operation to ensure all Harry Potter fans receive their books on the day of release from Amazon.co.uk is a mammoth task. The company has a 200,000 square foot high-security warehouse where the books are kept prior to despatch.

Staff are "carefully hand-picked", according to a spokeswoman, and the company is legally bound by an agreement with publisher Bloomsbury to keep many of the details surrounding the release and despatch of the books a closely guarded secret.

Photos: Amazon.co.uk

Published: July 13, 2005 -- 15:13 GMT (08:13 PDT)

Caption by: Will Sturgeon

A team of employees will work around the clock to ensure books are despatched on time to destinations around the world. Amazon.co.uk has received 350,000 pre-orders for the book which is released at midnight on 15 July.

Due to an embargo imposed by publisher Bloomsbury on filming and photography, these images, supplied by Amazon, are from the last campaign to despatch the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Photos: Harry Potter and the logistical nightmare

Once more into the breach for Amazon.co.uk...

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Once more into the breach for Amazon.co.uk...

The operation to ensure all Harry Potter fans receive their books on the day of release from Amazon.co.uk is a mammoth task. The company has a 200,000 square foot high-security warehouse where the books are kept prior to despatch.

Staff are "carefully hand-picked", according to a spokeswoman, and the company is legally bound by an agreement with publisher Bloomsbury to keep many of the details surrounding the release and despatch of the books a closely guarded secret.